This is a trip for a refined type of traveller, not content on the same tired view. They can't find satisfaction eating Hungarian goulash; they need to try cooking it too. There'll be no tired icons on the Berlin to Budapest, and we won't be queuing in lines. We'll be too busy sampling Czech craft beer & soaking up Krakow's salt mines.

Itinerary

Day 1: Berlin

Ready and raring for a banquet of cultural travel, we’ll round up in Germany’s chic capital. With more museums than rainy days per year, Berlin is a place worth knowing about.

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Day 2: Berlin

We'll start today off by exploring the streets & stories of Berlin in a guided Historical Walking Tour. When hunger strikes you're free to roam and find some currywurst, pretzels or Kartoffelpuffer, or for the veggie-inclined there's jackfruit burgers and cashew bolognaise served hot at Amaranth, a solar-powered organic hotel. You're free to do your own thing tonight, or let your curiosity be piqued by our optional Cold War Cold Drinks experience.

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Day 3: Berlin

Show us what you've got, Berlin! With a full free day to get further under the skin of this quirky city, you might want to take up the option of guided Berlin bike tour to the off-the-beaten-track sights, sip tea in a palace at the Tajik Tearoom, or swing by the abandoned Museumswohnung where you can see remnants of the Soviet era. This evening, you have the opportunity to learn the secrets of eating like a real local Berliner, with an optional EatWith Berlin meal.

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Day 4: Berlin to Prague

"More city hangs" you'll all scream in unison as we motor out of Berlin, high on life & still wanting more. Since you asked so nicely, let us present you with Prague, the darling of Europe.With our sombre stop behind us we’ll journey forwards arriving in the famously pretty city of Prague. With fairy-tale streets meeting hipster hangouts and graffiti, it’s not hard to understand the current allure of this beguiling city.

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Day 5: Prague

The history of Czech beer supposedly dates back to the year 993, when brewing took place in a monastery. With such cultural significance & historical roots, it seems only manners to do some Czech beer tasting. Today we can take a trip to the UNESCO town of Kutna Hora, where gothic architecture, human bone chandeliers, & a silver mining history can be found.

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Day 6: Prague

Make the most of your free day today by signing up for a morning bicycle tour, the perfect way to navigate the narrow alleyways and quaint corners of the city otherwise forgotten. Or maybe catch the tram to one of Prague's outer neighbourhoods like hipster Vršovice, boasting art nouveau buildings, offbeat coffee haunts and streets lined with communal pianos. Either way, be back in time for our included traditional Czech evening complete with dinner and dancing. The night is young, and so are we....

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Day 7: Prague to Krakow

If you picked up any Czech we’ll be saying our ‘ahoj’ this morning, as we leave Prague and make our way into Poland. After sliding due east and crossing the Czech / Poland border, we’ll pass through pretty towns like Katowice before hitting the brakes in Krakow.Arriving in the artistic capital of Poland, we’ll find a city of cherry trees & history & beauty. With gardens aplenty and a population of less than a million, it will be easy to feel at home here by the Vistula River.

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Day 8: Krakow including Auschwitz

In a town where unassuming 14th century cobbled lanes can spit you onto a sprawling Romanesque castle, seeing as much as possible with the aid of a bike should be mandatory.This morning we'll shift pace a little with a sobering but eye-opening guided tour through the Auschwitz & Birkenau concentration camp memorials. Once the original working 'camps', these memorials house the stories of a generation never to be forgotten.Onwards, upwards & seeing the world with brighter eyes than ever before, we'll settle gratefully back in to Krakow for the afternoon. In a town where unassuming 14th century cobbled lanes rub shoulders with a grandiose Renaissance castle, Baroque & Gothic buildings, historic Schindler's factory & views over the Vistula river, jump on the optional Krakow city bike tour for your best chance to get around it all. Those keen to sneak a drink or two can check out a lush & local beer garden or the bars around the bustling main market square.

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Day 9: Krakow

Rise & shine, you have a free morning to stroll the charming streets of Krakow before our planned afternoon activites. Check out Kazimierz, the UNESCO-listed Old Town & historic Jewish Quarter with its jumble of street art, vintage markets, crumbling cafes & 14th century synagogue. This afternoon prepare to be amazed as we journey deep underground on a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mines, with an included tour of the mindblowing crystalline tunnels, caves & cathedral, all carved out of the salt rock. Conserve some energy for our optional Pierogi dinner later on, when you'll have the chance to craft your very own traditional Polish boiled dumplings.

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Day 10: Krakow to Budapest

Alpine scenery and traditional villages will make our departure from Krakow more manageable. Particularly with the knowledge that we have Budapest coming up in the eve. Pastel painted and manicured to perfection, Banska Bystrica is a lunch break that will charm you to no end. Being in Slovakia, it's also your chance to brag 3 countries in one day - you crazy globetrotter you.Arriving in the delightful Budapest, we'll drop off our bags and take to the city for an included group dinner, tasting local specialities like goulash and stuffed peppers. If the night hours need honouring, we'll head for the faded grandeur of the recovered Eight District of Józsefváro, checking out some of the famous ruin bars and live music venues hidden amongst cafes & vintage shops.

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Day 11: Budapest

Today you have the morning free to set out and explore Budapest at your leisure. Drift up Castle Hill on the historic funicular, or Head to District VII of Elizabeth Town and find gritty pubs & graffitti walls covering the traditional Jewish Quarter. Just make sure you're back in time to reunite with the group this afternoon to indulge in a favourite Budapest past-time: a soul-soothing spa visit. Soak those aching muscles in one of the city's thermal baths (entry fee's on us), Thermal bathing has been a tradtion here for thousands of years - cultural immersion has never been so blissful! To round off the day, you have the option to join a Cook With Budapest dining experience, spending your evening testing and tasting traditional Hungarian recipes.

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Day 12: Budapest

With an evening of traditional dining & cooking ahead of us, this city will prove itself a culinary hotspot. Work it all off with a bout of exploring, or for those about to pop you can drift up Castle Hill by historic funicular.

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Day 13: Budapest

Today marks the sob worthy conclusion of our time going deep on Europe’s most budding cultural cities. With a newfound appreciation for the less travelled spots, we’ll say goodbye & make plans for our next worldly ventures.

Our handpicked crop of accommodation on this trip will leave you happier than a girl with fresh roses. Well located and appointed hotels, each of these 12-nights will be cloud like

Food

Prepare to embark on a passionate pilgrimage on the food front. We can guide your tastebuds however you wish, whether you want to up the skillset with a local cooking class or find out where the locals eat

Staff

A highly trained Trip Manager who brings your adventure to life. An expert driver who knows foreign roads better than Google Maps. Local Guides who make tourist traps a thing of the past. This is your team. Smart, friendly, fun, and integral to everything we do